4:6 Method

Japanese barista Tetsu Kasuya created the 4:6 method and used it to win the 2016 World Brewers Cup in Dublin.

The method splits your water into two halves. The first 40%, poured in two steps, sets the flavor balance: adjusting the split between the two pours tunes acidity versus sweetness. The last 60% controls strength: more pours extract harder for a stronger cup, fewer for a milder one. Pours are evenly spaced, and a coarse grind keeps the flow fast enough to avoid over-extraction.

Start each pour at the time shown, pouring steadily over roughly ten seconds, then let the bed drain until the next mark.